Can you explain why hens may color their eggs?
Have you ever wondered which chickens produce which color eggs?
If you’ve ever wondered about either of these issues, then this is the place for you. Recently, I’ve been contemplating adding a little color to my hen house’s eggs.
So, in order to figure out which chickens would be the best fit, I’ve been researching. What I discovered is as follows:
The Process of Eggs Getting Colored
From the moment a egg starts to develop, it takes around 26 hours. It takes 20 hours for the real eggshell to develop.
After that, the egg spends the remaining 5 or so hours being colored. A pigment is sprayed on the egg inside the hen during a dye process that takes place in a hen.
Remember that white eggs come from the beginning. The eggs change colors due to an internal dyeing process.
And now, the color of the eggs can be influenced by a variety of factors. Your hen’s eggs may bleach if she stays in the sun for too long without adequate shade or cold water. You’ll want to check on these two factors if you start seeing lighter-colored eggs than usual.
It is advisable to check for mites and parasites since they may have the same impact on the egg’s color if your hen’s eggs are being bleached more than usual and she has plenty of shade and cold water.
However, several chicken breeds contain both blue and brown pigments. As a consequence, that breed may create eggs of any hue in the rainbow.
A hen, on the other hand, will always produce a single color egg.
So you’ll need multiple hens with the blue and brown pigment that produce distinct colored eggs in order to get a rainbow of eggs.
Almost all eggs are only colored on the exterior, which is the last thing to note about the egg coloring process. The inside of the shell will still be white when you open it.
Nonetheless, blue eggs are an outlier. They turn blue both on the inside and outside when they are painted.
Chickens that Lay Blue Eggs
1. Araucanas
These are unique chickens in every sense of the word. They have no tail feathers, so their blue eggs are the only ones they lay.
‘Rumpless’ is another name for it.
You may thus determine if someone possesses a genuine Araucana. Birds are commonly sold as Araucanas by many individuals, but not all of them. The true breed will be distinguished from others by those two factors.
2. Ameraucanas
The Araucana was the foundation stock of Ameraucanas. As a result, they may create blue eggs.
These are inquisitive birds that can adapt to a variety of conditions.
3. Easter Eggers
They resemble Araucanas and Ameraucanas in some ways, but they’re a bit more of a mongrel. Several distinct breeds are combined into one bird.
Nevertheless, since they are able to produce a wide range of colored eggs, they contain some of the Araucanas and Ameraucanas.
But they have some of the Araucanas and Ameraucanas in there because they are able to produce a variety of different colored eggs.
Despite the fact that they can create a wide range of distinct colored eggs, they include some Araucanas and Ameraucanas.
Egg colors such as blue, green, brown, sage, olive, cream, and rose will be produced by this particular breed.
They are also very smart, have great tempers, and are heat and cold hearty. They’d make a wonderful hen house companion or addition.
4. Cream Legbar
The blue eggs of this breed are laid by the chicken. The Araucanas, Barred Plymouth Rocks, and Golden Leghorns are all crossed together.
These birds are adored by many people because they are active without being skittish or flighty. In addition to their beautifully colored eggs, they are very popular.
These, on the other hand, are excellent foragers. Since the more they forage, the lesser food you need to pay out of pocket, this is great news for their owners.
Cream Egg Layers
Cream-colored eggs are more popular among some people. If so, you may be interested in the following breeds:
1. Faverolle
This chicken breed is one of the most unusual around. They stand out because of their feathered feet and five toes.
So if you’re interested in a one-of-a-kind chicken breed that produces beautiful cream-colored eggs, then this might be the breed for you.
2. Dorking
They have a rather hilarious name at first glance, yet they are an extremely unique breed. This is one of the most ancient chicken breeds.
In fact, it is thought that they were domesticated during the Roman Empire, which was one of the first to do so.
They are, however, known for having kind hearts. With short legs and five toes, they seem to be a little different.
Green Egg Layers
Have you ever wished for a fresh egg that wasn’t rotting? So, you’ll be interested in this particular chicken breed that produces green eggs:
1. Olive Eggers
These birds are a hybrid breed, similar to Easter Eggers. They produce eggs that range in color from olive to camo green, and they all have distinctive patterns.
As a result, they would be a fantastic addition to any coop or flock.
Brown Egg Layers
Among the most widespread varieties are brown egg layers. They are produced by a number of breeds:
1. Rhode Island Red
Layers are incredible with the Rhode Island Reds. Depending on the time of year, most of them lay 1-2 eggs per day.
They do, however, have a difficult personality, with some being quite moody.
2. Plymouth Rock
Another frequent bird is the Plymouth Rock. They have a gentler disposition than other Rhode Island Reds and are excellent layers.
3. Dominique
Some of my favorite birds are Dominiques. They are a gorgeous color pattern with grays, blacks, and whites and are extremely docile birds that lay routinely.
Obviously, they would make a fantastic addition to any chicken flock in the backyard. Particularly for someone who is just starting out.
4. Jersey Giant
In my experience, these are big birds with a nice attitude. They make excellent layers as well as dual-purpose birds.
They make a excellent meat bird because of their bulk.
Other breeds that lay brown eggs are:
- Golden Comets
- Cochin
- Brahma
- Chantecler
- Java
- New Hampshire Red
- Buckeye
- Delaware
White Egg Layers
You can still have that if you are raising your own if you are used to buying white eggs because of grocery stores. The breeds that lay white eggs are as follows:
1. Silkie
Silkie chickens are one of my favorite breeds because of their appearance. They resemble a ‘fancy’ chicken with feathered legs, a huge feathered head, and feathers.
Additionally, they produce white eggs, which many people prefer.
2. Polish
Other distinctive chickens include Polish chickens. These feathered heads are rather large and puffy. They would almost certainly suit themselves if they were described as being ‘ dressed up for the cold.
However, they produce lovely white eggs in either case, and their presence would draw a lot of attention.
3. Campine
Belgium is the home of this chicken. They produce white eggs and have a lovely orange color running through them.
They, on the other hand, are poor layers. They lay around 150 eggs each year on average. Every 2-3 days, it’s basically an egg.
4. Leghorns
Layer hens are excellent layers. They give off a lot of white eggs, which is something that many people in their flock desire.
However, Leghorn fowls are a little flighty. Therefore, if you’re just starting out with chickens, keep this in mind.
Light Tan Layers
You should definitely consider these chicken breeds if you prefer brown eggs but would rather have an egg that is a little lighter:
- Buff Orpington
- Wyandotte
They both produce roughly the same quantity of eggs each year, despite having distinct colorations. They produce medium-sized eggs and lay around 150-200 eggs each year.
So, if you want chicken with deeper feathers (Wyandotte) or lighter colors (Buff Orpington), you must pick between them.
Pink Egg Layers
Pink eggs are rare and have a cool appearance. So, in order to get that hue in your flock, take a look at these breeds:
1. Barred Rock
Dominiques and Barred Rock hens are very similar. Both a meat bird and a laying hen, they are used.
They, on the other hand, average around 280 eggs per year, indicating that they are not very effective layers. The benefit of this is that they can make pink eggs.
2. Light Sussex
Another lovely chicken breed is the Cyprus. When someone says the term “chicken,” they actually look a lot like what you picture.
They are, nonetheless, a more calm breed and are constantly on the lookout for anything new in their environment.
Yet, just around 250 eggs per year are produced on average.
3. Asil
I would not recommend this bird for any backyard chickenkeeper. India and Pakistan were their birthplaces.
Also, they aren’t known for producing a lot of eggs and have a reputation for being aggressive. According to reports, they only lay around 40 eggs per year on average.
As a result, they are kept around more for their ornamental value and less for production or pets.
Chocolate Layers
Have you ever noticed eggs that were really dark brown? In that case, one of the breeds listed below is most likely the source of an egg you’ve seen.
It’s also important to understand that chicken eggs are graded on a 1-9 scale, with 1 being white and 9 being dark, rich brown.
The majority of chicken breeds have a 4 or higher Average. That’s the stamp of approval that distinguishes your dog from others.
1. Pendescena
These birds produce some of the most beautiful eggs. At times, they appear to be brown or reddish in color.
This breed, on the other hand, is a little skittish due to their watchfulness. As a result, in most households, they are not the best candidates for adoption.
2. Welsummer
For the most part, this would be a suitable choice for flocks. The eggs of this breed are dark and speckled, just like the others.
They’re also affectionate and clever, and they’re fantastic diggers in both hot and cold weather.
3. Marans
The dark, chocolate-colored eggs of the Marans are a more popular breed.
Nevertheless, to be sure that you have a genuine Marans, you should inspect the egg’s color. They’re a phony Maran breed that people attempt to pass off as the real thing.
Remember that a genuine Marans egg must be at least 4.
So, you now understand what color eggs chickens have. Based on the colors of eggs, you also have a wide range of breeds to choose from.
As you create a range of egg colors in your flock, hopefully this will be helpful to you.
